Ep 32 Sailboat Shopping: Oyster 485

[@woundedwhale786]

What a great informative video in looking at what kind of things to look out for. I've subscribed and will binge watch the rest of your videos. I like your easy going but detailed commentary. Thanks!

[@SailingTalisman]

Thank you so much Hussain. It's a labor of love to be sure, so it's nice to get a few comments like yours.

[@javierstaffanell3519]

Thank you for sharing your approach to buying her and what to look for. I will look for more of your videos. Great job!

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks Javier!

[@davidyoung7414]

Great video, thanks for putting together a concise and informative showing. As a new enthusiast and planning to buy in a few years this was helpful to know what to look at and why.

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi David. No worries. It was an exciting time for us and we've never had any regrets about our purchase. I think a lot of people jump into a boat purchase without taking the time to understand what they're buying. For us things took a while because we just weren't ready, but knowing the market and pricing and what to look for helped tremendously. Also, waiting gives you the time to save up for something a bit better. If I was to do it again I'd pay more for a boat that had what I needed instead of installing myself. It's just way cheaper in the long run to do it that way.

[@myz113]

Excited to finally see her!! Your comments on the cribbing and the washing machine were cracking me up. The interior and also under the floor boards looks very clean on that boat. Really cool overall design.

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Myers. How's Alfie coming along? Yes, I crawled into every nook and cranny. There weren't many that didn't have one system or another packed in. Headed out on 6/17 on a one-way ticket.

[@myz113]

Sailing at 9000 She is nestled in her cradle until our new departure of 12/1/17. Waiting until end of hurricane season and also to save some more dough to do watermaker, bow thruster, plotter, instruments, radar, autopilot. Richard says maintenance work is cheap in Antigua during the offseason so I'm working to source the parts and ship them over to him. Is this going to be Wendy's first time seeing Talisman in person?

[@jamesbowie9323]

Really nice to hear from you with your update. Iain is a nice guy and very experienced is his profession .20 years ago I crewed with him on a yacht delivery to Port Banus (I actually had to get off in Vilamoura. ) . Take Care. Regards Jim

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Jim. Yeah, Iain doesn't seem to age. He still looks more or less identical to when we met him, and he's ten years older that we are. He's a true pro in every way, and set us on our cruising life by emphasizing constant vigilance.

[@sbvol7385]

Congrats on the purchase. Look forward to seeing the next set of videos showing the boat being moved from Europe to the US or Caribbean. From reading the comments it appears that the seller did indeed help fund some of the electronics upgrade. Thanks for letting us follow the along!!

[@SailingTalisman]

Indeed. The seller was a pretty cool guy, although we never met him in person. Talisman was a boat that was sailed hard and over long distances initially, but then had at least two owners that hardly sailed her at all. The owner previous to the one we bought her from died before getting his initial refit complete and the last owner got transferred to mainland Europe for his job shortly after buying the boat. Rumor has it that he just bought another (Hallberg Rassy) boat in Italy rather than upgrade the Oyster and have it transferred over.

[@samaipata4756]

Congratulations definitely a smart buy! It requires some extensive TLC, but it will reward you by having a great safe world cruiser. I was surprised about the nice condition the engine looks to be in, even the generator once you wash it down with some Varsol it will look much better too. Now you only need to make the same smart choice in finding yourself a loving, caring women and you will live very happily ever after! All my best wishes, love your down to earth honesty style and of coarse your video’s!👍🙏🤗😒

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Samai. An odd thing happened with the Yanmar engine. After being on the hard for 7 years the pulleys rusted on the surfaces that were exposed to air. The side under the belt was still clean. Of course we didn't see this, but once we started running the engine we found that a belt would fail after about 40 hours of use. Plus the engine was completely covered with rubber dust from the belts. I ended up having to wire brush the rust off and wet sand the surfaces to get them back to working condition. Aluminum pulleys would have been nice. On the relationship front, having Wendy in my life makes the whole cruising life possible. We've been married 19 years and I don't know what I'd do without her.

[@YachtHunters]

A really thorough look through. Not just glossing over but opening hatches lifting mattresses etc Good calm video

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks so much. There were still things we missed, but luckily they were smallish in the end.

[@BoneyBobsTreasure]

Very interesting and well made, one of the best videos about Oyster boats thank you.

[@SailingTalisman]

Appreciate that Bob. And thanks for watching.

[@CaptainJohnmaddux]

Thank you for making my life better! John The Limo Driver from Kansas city

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks John. One of our first viewer/commenters. We love having you.

[@deadpiratetattoo2015]

dude, i appreciate your candor on the assessment. definitely no agenda. this helps.

[@SailingTalisman]

I'm glad you feel that way. I'm trying to fill that niche, since it really is impossible to get anyone in the industry to talk honestly about the pluses and minuses of current yacht design. No matter what they say they'll end up in hot water professionally. The big production manufacturers are the cash cows for everyone from brokers to magazine writers (along with everyone in between).

[@SuperDave-vj9en]

@@SailingTalisman I’ve just now found your channel. Are there any current updates? Great video!

[@SailingTalisman]

@@SuperDave-vj9en Hi Dave. Yes. Just go to Sailing yacht Talisman and hit the videos tab. There are a ton. We're on episode 111 now.

[@jimmcdonald9244]

As usual Kevin, a great narrative of a beautiful boat. Hope the purchase works out for you. Re: updating the electronics, try to get the NMEA standard backbone bus so all the instruments can talk to each other and you connect wirelessly tablet or phone etc.

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks for the kind words Jim. Yes, Raymarine is what's on the boat now and there are a ton of ST60 (older) repeaters scattered around the boat. For that reason we're sticking with Ray for the instruments. We'll be using the SeaTalk ng backbone, which is also NMEA 2000 compatible. You can plug into non-Ray NMEA compatible products like Fusion stereo units.

[@DaebakMonkey]

I love how open those 3 windows make the cabin seems! Very nice boat! The teak will take a little bit more to maintain, but as long as you take good care of it it will serve you well.

[@SailingTalisman]

Indeed. There are very few things on Talisman that we'd change.

[@Neilhuny]

Lovely looking boat! Time to see if you bought it or went for another ...

[@SailingTalisman]

We did, and have been cruising full time for four years now. She's lovely and has never let us down.

[@davidh.7571]

This was a great boat clearly cared for by owner. Who must have been discerning to buy Oyster in the beginning. Fair Winds.

[@SailingTalisman]

Yes. The way the boat is set up, with the vast spares and safety kit is something to behold. None of it was listed in the spec sheet, so was a happy find.

[@TheMonkeyrock77]

I hope you can get it. I like how open the cabin is. You can see what's going on outside from inside.

[@SailingTalisman]

Yes, it's almost a pilot house that way, but not as tall and awkward looking. Lot's of headroom below and you could stand there and watch from inside as the autopilot steers if you like.

[@andreboudreau6474]

Being I love all things that sail, I found it very interesting to see how you went over this Oyster. As a VERY occasional opertunity sailor I was graced with the opertunity to sail aboard an Oyster 82-11 in the Caribean with my wife and a close friend and his wife. . Spent 10 days aboard. Must say as a comon folk, it was an impressive vessel. There were only four of us on board and it was almost a workout to walk from bow to stern. It was equipped with an impressive amout of comodities. My friend actualy worked for the owner at the time and had a chance to see some stages of the build 👍🏻👍🏻at the shop. Service according to him WAS as you mentionned top notch and the owner was indeed second time owner of an Oyster. ( the first being a 62' I believe.)

[@SailingTalisman]

Wow. An 82. That's big money. Plus, as you know, each additional foot on a boat translates to more interior volume, An 82 must feel huge inside.

[@andreboudreau6474]

Sailing at 9000 huge indeed, if my memory serves right' it a a 20ft beam"

[@andreboudreau6474]

Sailing at 9000 indeed, lot's of $$ and as far as spce is concerned, well imagin what a 20 ft beam offers. Five water tight cabins , sleeps 10!

[@olderguyrny]

I'm curious how you feel about that keel for blue water sailing. I lean toward a fuller keel but I'm biased as we spent 9 years on a 45' Island Packet. The Oyster is a great boat if you're looking for a saloon. Teak decks give me the shivers. I can't tell you how many friends I have that thought the decks were great until the underlying rot was discovered. Fair winds and following seas.

[@SailingTalisman]

Yeah, Island Packet is about the only brand still producing full keel designs. I think we'll like the Oyster keel. It's a more traditional design and strikes a balance between the long keels you see on Hylas, Kaufman, Tayana, etc., and the high aspect versions seen on the production boats. The Oyster also has a bombproof skeg hung rudder, which we like. Full keel boats are almost impossible to steer in reverse, and of course the pointing abilities suffer. As for teak decks, these are premium boats and even today they all come with teak decks. Oyster feels that if you can't afford the teak you can't afford the boat. They've done the install properly with 1/4 sawn heavy teak, vacuum bagged down (so minimal fasteners). Sanding teak decks is generally frowned upon, but if you had to you could send these down to a veneer. More likely it will be the caulking will need to be replaced in the next several years, but we're still seeing 9mm of teak at the areas we could measure. Scotland isn't brutal on the boats the way the Caribbean and South Florida are.

[@olderguyrny]

The skeg rudder is the only way to go for ocean cruising. Spade rudders with only the rudder stock for support is a real risk. We hit a whale off the coast of Tobago and just bounced off. I can see that spade rudder floating away leaving a nice hole in the boat. Oyster is a great boat and I'm sure you'll be happy with your decision.

[@wilfredzielinski5685]

hi i dont know much about sailboats but is this 1 of the best of the old sailboats thanks for the video and good luck

[@donavansmithsurf]

Nice yacht now I know what it looks like inside your yacht,hope you doing great !

[@SailingTalisman]

Is this Donovan from the South African cat?

[@donavansmithsurf]

Sailing Yacht Talisman yes my dear friends 😂😂😂😂

[@SailingTalisman]

@@donavansmithsurf Where are you?

[@donavansmithsurf]

Sailing Yacht Talisman I am in South africa just had a delivery, A Knysna 500 Se from Seychelles to South Africa 21 days. When I arrived we where going to go in on lockdown, now we are ! So just made it home and now awaiting to be done with lockdown as I am flying To Leeros 1 May to relaunch INVICTUS and sail her back up to Lefkada to finish the season and then travel to USA September middle month. Hahah I hope it works out 💪. Where are you at the moment,are you safe and well?

[@Wyattheearp]

I am wondering if you have ever mentioned the difference in structural integrity between liner built vessels and fully integrated hull construction. I understand that tank replacements are extremely expensive on liner construction. I cannot find any info on the Oyster Yachts. Jeanneaus, Beneteaus are all liner built. Bavarias are full construction. What are our thoughts?

[@SailingTalisman]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Fiberglass, once molded, is only presentable on one side. So generally there is an inner liner that presents a finished side on the inside. This problem can probably be addressed by attaching inner wood or fiberglass panels to ribs or stringers attached to the hull, but I doubt any of this affects the structural integrity of the boat. The big production manufacturers work day and night to eliminate any additional or redundant construction, hence the lighter weight of the hulls. As for teak, most of it is glued down these days. This technique has the advantage of reducing the number of screw penetrations. Also, the teak can wear longer because screw heads don't start popping up as the teak ages. The biggest change in yacht design and production is the advent of 3D computer modeling. Parts that previously had to be hand fit can now be designed and cut in advance by computers. Therefore an entire teak deck "kit" is made before it is ever installed (on the production boats at least). Replacing a teak deck by tearing it up and fabricating each piece by hand is a frightening thought, not least because you have to remove all the deck hardware.

[@Wyattheearp]

Thanks for your reply, I should clarify my question. I have been looking for a sailboat for almost 4 years now. What I have discovered is that there are 2 styles of construction. The first is what they call "liner" mold fitting. This is where the actual hull is manufactured as all fiberglass hulls are made, multi layers inside of a mold. At the same time the inner bulkheads and all inside components, like cabins and lockers, are assembled and built up on the floor of the shop as one unit. Then this complete piece is fitted into the hull and glued in on top of the tankage that has been placed and positioned into the hull section. With the computer systems being used to design and construct, this style has taken off due to its efficiency with time, construction is faster due to doing two parts at the same time. But there are still many builders who use the old traditional methods, build the hull inside of a mold, and then construct outwards from inside the new hull using bulkheads to assist in the strengthening and stiffening of the hull. All inside compartments are built separately inside of the hull and fitted in as required. This style of construction produces a stiffer hull design but at a cost. Bavaria still uses this construction practice, while most of the other manufactures like Jeanneaus and Beneteaus use the liner method. From what I have discovered, when having to replace or repair a tank, say a fuel tank, in a liner constructed vessel it is incredibly expensive and much harder to gain access to the tank in question due to the nature of the construction, the tank is surrounded by a pre-molded fiberglass enclosure, which requires high skill levels to get access to and then finishing the install properly so as not to look terrible. While on a non-liner vessel, that same tank will have been fitted by using installed bulkheads that can be removed and reinstalled, albeit still requiring a high degree of skill to ensure proper fit. I mention this mainly due to the fact that all the boats that I have been looking at have all been older than 25 years, which will probably mean that I will be looking at replacing or repairing a tank or two. I love your videos by the way!!! The two of you have actually helped me decide what I really want when it comes to a specific vessel, and that is the Passport designed sailboats. Your interview with John Kretschmer was amazing, very very interesting to hear his perspectives. Please keep up your excellent work on these videos, they are highly appreciated.

[@Wyattheearp]

Here is an excerpt from a Surveyor's blog. "Surveying Boats With Molded Integral Grid Systems by David Pascoe Fiberglass boats built with internal liners have been around for a long time. Typically, a liner is a premolded internal component, the purpose of which is to provide the basis for the interior layout. Over time, this function has evolved and has slowly taken over the function of providing internal hull structural support as well. Hence the liner has evolved to the term "grid/liner" where the function of the liner is included to take over the role of conventional framing systems such as individually laid up glass-on-wood stringers. Surveyors know that working with liners can cause problems, not only with access for inspection of the internal hull - often they make large parts of the hull inaccessible - but because of the difficulties imposed by the design for bonding the liner to the hull. If the surveyor can't reach the areas, neither can the builder, and so the manner in which it is attached to the hull has to be suspect unless proven otherwise." My question is what are your thoughts on these two style of construction practices, as I mentioned earlier, Bavaria still uses wood stringers and fiberglass overlaying for internal construction. Jeanneaus, Beneteaus are all liner built.

[@SailingTalisman]

Not sure. I think a competent surveyor would know better on all this. The modern bonding technologies are truly impressive and I think they probably know what they're doing. The Oyster for sure does not have an inner liner. It's all interior panels on painted wood framing/stringers. However, the bigger problem with the production boats is the deck to hull connection. The liner might be structural to a degree, but the method of attachment at the hull to deck is a bigger deal. There are a lot more forces at play. Like a lot of what you're looking at, this is an issue for older boats more than the newer ones. The engineering of the 10-25 year old production boats was in "flux", thus failing keel attachment points and the like. These problems, once identified, were corrected, but that doesn't do much for the existing boats in the fleet. Owners just cross their fingers and hope for the best. Buyers though should be paying close attention to whether a boat they're considering buying has developed a reputation (Beneteau First 40/42 as an example). Be aware too that lightweight production boats do not make for seakindly designs. They pound when going upwind and surf when going downwind in big swells. You had mentioned replacing tanks before, and it occurred to me that if you needed a new tank the answer would be to destructively remove the existing tank and have a stainless steel fabricator come in and build a new one out of plate stainless. They do it all the time on the commercial fishing boats.

[@stevencollins5028]

I have been following your journey so far and the Oyster is by far the yacht for you guys. Very impressive. Quality everywhere. Wish you could have shown the engine room. Good luck in your negotiations. Looking forward to hearing about your next steps and future plans in sailing this beautiful vessel. You probably don"t want to disclose the sale price, but can you explain the VAT for this purchase? Good luck guys. Melbourne, Australia

[@jazldazl9193]

$US 210k

[@jacknimble1]

That cradle is unreal! I would be scared to even walk under that boat. My dream boat though!

[@baseballDUDE32]

Wow. That's a hell of a ride. Is there a video on the Spanish boat? I like this boat.... thanks for doing. What you do. 😎

[@SailingTalisman]

There is, but as I told another viewer, we feel a bit odd about posting it since we didn't buy the boat. Oyster is checking with the sellers and if they're cool I'm totally prepared to put the effort into making a video posting. It's a great boat and the only reason we bought the Scottish boat is because it hadn't been used for so long. Not being used turned out to be problematic. It took a long time to rerig and get the boat in the water. Both are substantially identical (Spanish is actually newer), so a good buy should someone be interested. Sellers are much more motivated to be sure.

[@skiff30]

Looking seriously at the Spanish boat. Any way to get in touch? Great video.

[@SailingTalisman]

She's listed on Yachtworld and if you click the contact form you'll be forwarded to Dan Wurzbacher at Oyster Brokerage in Newport. Dan's a great guy and a wonderful resource.

[@ruudandreabeerman226]

The webbing lines are safety-lines. To secure your safety harness to when you have to leave the cockpit at high sea.

[@SailingTalisman]

Yeah, I would have thought that too. But they're too short for jacklines ... only 8 feet or so each. As it turns out they're replacement safety straps for the dinghy. When the dinghy is on the davits, you lift with cables and a crank, but you need a way to keep it from swinging around and that's what the straps were for.

[@NjTravelhound]

congrats. looks like you got a great boat.

[@jamesbowie9323]

Really impressed with your practical approach with your video . I live a few miles away and was in the Marina for lunch ,so had a wee look at your new yacht from the hard. Very impressed with how "Talisman" looks now and all the hard work you have put in.. Like yourself I,m not impressed as to how they shore up large yachts in the Marina. I use Ardrossan Marina just up the coast and they always use steel cradles. Are you still on for a ETD of August if so "Fair winds and safe Landfalls" Jim Bowie

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Jim. Well I'm here now in the exact marina restaurant. Talisman was up on the hard for 7 years, so the log support system was a bit dated. I think they have enough steel cradles now for the larger boats, and the yard manager has told me the plan is to have enough for all the boats going forward. In actuality, Iain Hunter from Hunter Yacht Deliveries did the heavy lifting on getting Talisman put back together. He's a rock star and really nice guy. He's honest as the day is long and a truly valuable resource. I'll be singing his praises on the next video for sure since I want to get him whatever business I can. We're still on schedule to be out of here in early August.

[@DerredmaxTRIAX]

Sweet boat good luck!!!

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks!

[@williambremner9022]

Have really enjoyed your "Sailboat Shopping" videos, thanks for posting these. As you are considering some production yachts I am curious to know if you're considering the Beneteau Sense 50? If no, why not? It has twin rudders, chined hull, beam carried well aft and would be very quick off the wind. The livings spaces are tremendous too. I also like that the systems side of things are thoughtfully arranged in the aft end of the yacht. Any thoughts? My wife and I are also shopping for a 50ft yacht for cruising (mostly coast in SE Asia). Cheers!

[@SailingTalisman]

In all honesty, all the newer French (and German) production boats are all as you describe. The biggest reason we'll be passing on the production boats is that they're not really seakindly designs. The wide beam aft and lighter weight contribute to fast and fun sailing in coastal conditions, but the stability curves (to the degree that they can be inferred) are poor. You get maybe 112 degrees AVS (angle of vanishing stability), and after that the boat turns turtle. The likelihood of it righting itself immediately is questionable as well. After much shopping, we realized that this is the main difference between the offshore bluewater specific brands (Oyster, Hylas, Discovery, Passport, Tayana, Hallberg Rassy, Contest, etc). The Oyster 485 has a builder stated AVS of 136 degrees. If you add 136+136 you get 272 degrees of overall stability. Subtract that from 360 and you find that there's only 88 degrees of negative stability. The boat really wants to right itself should it ever be rolled. It's a really heavy boat to be sure, but that's why new ones cost so much. All the production builders are focused like a laser on trying to get more strength out of less materials, and although they're built not to fail, this doesn't mean that the design trade offs are good ones. Don't get me wrong, if you go to any south seas location you'll see plenty of production boats, but you need to do your weather routing a lot more carefully for longer passages.

[@plstrom]

gorgeous boat , a little work and it will look like new apart of mast and the tchnical issues that we do not know of course , but beautiful boat

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks Pedro. We're 3 years in and Talisman is finally feeling like she's at the top of her game. Still need to re-coat the mast and boom, but that's more a matter of finding the right place to have it done.

[@thearchibaldtuttle]

Nice boat indeed and Oyster is one of my personal holy trinity boats (Oyster, HR and Swan). Would go for it (not knowing the details though) ;-)

[@SailingTalisman]

We did. Video soon.

[@katecrone514]

So how much ?????? also did you find her on apolloduck. Cheers good video, we also love follow the boat.

[@nhojcam]

kate, the '94 Oyster 485 Talisman sailboats run right around US$250k. this is a nice one, to be sure. but since it has been on the hard for a while, it needs surveyed to make sure everything is in order.

[@thomastuorto9929]

@@nhojcam doesn't matter if it has been on the hard, ,a 2012 , or a 2016 in the water, all boats being considered for purchase needs to be surveyed. For safety if not anything else.

[@acesflying2y]

at 21 ,36 think they are savetylines that run the full lenght off the boot where you clic your harnes into

[@billfournier1043]

For got to ask, do you have a website or email to contact you. Would like to get your input on some other boats. Really like your input on all the yachts you looked at.

[@talderson1]

What's that chainplate holding up??? Holy smokes, I've never seen one that HD before.

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Terence. The chainplate connects to the cap and half-shrouds above, so carries the entire lateral load of the mast and rigging. This connection to the hull is a big deal and the overbuilt nature is an Oyster signature design feature. It gives owners a sense of security as chainplate failure has been the cause of many a dismasting at sea. Easy to inspect as well.

[@talderson1]

Sailing Yacht Talisman hi. Thanks for that. It's a pretty impressive boat for sure. Too much boat for me but beautiful for sure. One of my favorite boats. Stay safe, great channel.

[@thatdutchguy2882]

Looks like a very nice vessel, but it being a UK boat i really suggest you look very critically at the teak decking and the deck itself. But, she's a looker that's for sure.

[@SailingTalisman]

The surveyor gave them a clean bill of health. 1/4 sawn teak vacuum bagged down, so very few penetrations. Like I told another commenter, it's hard to find boats of this quality and era that don't have teak decks. It's a relatively recent thing for people to opt out of them. You'll be looking at Oyster, Hallberg Rassy, Swan, Passport, Hylas, Tayana, and they'll all have teak.

[@chuckleber3484]

I don't know if this comment will be viewed on such an old video but how does an American deal with the 220v electrical? Do you convert it to North American 110v or leave it 220v and only buy European appliances and plugin tools?

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Chuck. No. It turns out to be pretty easy, but with some rules. You can build a conversion plug that will take US 220VAC/50A/60Hz power off the pedestal and plug it into your native 230VAC/32A/50Hz Euro speced boat. Most marinas that can handle a 50' cruising sailboat will have US 220VAC plugs on the pedestals. But it's the phase difference that's really important. So you won't be able to use microwaves and things with motors, like watermakers and refrigerator compressors. This is why we upgraded to 24VDC refrigeration and will opt for 220VAC/60Hz air conditioning if and when we install that. MarineAire tells me that their 60Hz motors work fine on 50Hz power, but run about 15% slow. If you go the other way the motors seem to run hot. Our washing machine did not do well when we plugged into a blue Euro power socket in St Lucia and it turned out to be that the plug was actually delivering 220VAC/60Hz, instead of the 50Hz the machine wanted. We worked around it by running our genset to get us the right power, and it was only an hour or so to do the wash. Note the difference between US and Euro power cords. The Euro 220VAC cords are much smaller than the US 115VAC cords. This is because with half the voltage you draw double the amps. The spec of the available amps isn't an indication of what you'll draw. A similar motor that draws 6 amps at 230 will draw 12 amps at 110. The motors are not interchangeable for the voltage and you'd have a different one in each case, but to get the torque of the 220 version, you'd need to double the amps at 110. As much as we can we put on 24VDC (our house battery bank). We run everything that we can off that because our Mastervolt MASS 24/80 battery charger will take any power between 90VAC and 250VAC/50 or 60Hz. So the battery charger takes all power that you're likely to see. Get used to reading the specs on plugs and chargers for things like computers, phones, tools, and the rest. You need to know before you plug in or you might fry the unit.

[@Eddybarrett84]

Can you do a video of the pro’s and con’s of your engine brand and how and where it’s located in the boat? You do great videos of what to look for while buying boats. And since you now own this boat can you do a review of what you like and dislike about your motor the brand and it location and accessibility for service, thanks

[@SailingTalisman]

Well we have a Yanmar 4JH2-DTE 88hp turbo diesel and these are known to be reliable workhorses. Most Oysters come with a Perkins powerplant, and some have claimed that these will go to higher engine hours before needing to be replaced, but I'm of the opinion that maintenance is the key to engine longevity, especially doing the regular oil changes. Volvo is the third major brand out there, and these I can tell you from talking to owners are quite expensive in terms of parts. You'll occasionally see Beta Marine, which are very reliable Kabuta tractor engines (as are most marine diesels). Yanmar parts are available everywhere and the pricing is as reasonable as things get in the marine world. These engines need regular oil checks, as they burn oil a lot faster than cars and trucks. Newer (CNC machined) engines almost certainly have tighter tolerances and might not need so much attention, but I'd advise anyone reading this to never leave the dock without first checking the engine oil and coolant.

[@bosun9299]

what were they asking for her

[@ryanh5008]

OK so you bought this 485 earlier this year. Its now July 2017. Any updates? Did the survey show any major issues? Will you be making more videos on the re-launch and delivery back to the USA? Thanks.

[@SailingTalisman]

We closed on the boat pretty recently, in early June. We had to go radio silent for a period while we were in negotiations and getting the deal done. So of course we'll have follow up videos as things progress. We're especially excited to actually get out sailing instead of all the grueling work that's been the main part of our lives lately. It's moving forward though. All the electronics are either in the living room here or already on the boat, and I leave for good next Monday.

[@ryanh5008]

Sorry for sounding a bit rude. I didnt mean to. Great you got it all worked out. Very nice yacht. What electronics did you buy? I install marine electronics for a living. Can provide guidance if you would like.

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Ryan. Went with Raymarine products as there were a bunch of ST60 instruments that I wanted to keep. These wire into the Seatalk 1 existing backbone, and then into the new ng backbone. Did (2) Axiom 9s with RMK-9 hard controller, remote SD card reader, i70s instrument at binnacle, AIS 650 transponder w/ AIS 100 splitter, Quantum Q24 radar, and 400 series autopilot.

[@chrisparlow4450]

And I'll be waiting to hear. Iv SUBed to your vid. Thanks for showing

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks so much!

[@cawfeedawg]

thats funny that you buy into the gloomy warm light interior thing. I find daylight bulbs much more refreshing.

[@SailingTalisman]

It's an LED thing. Not the same with halogen. The LED "cool white" color is awful when used inside. With enough lights and the boat having 24v power, the warm white color looks just like standard halogen. LEDs last forever and are tolerant of major voltage swings.

[@philskype101]

Good buy and a plus with the exchange rate

[@SailingTalisman]

Indeed.

[@tc44689]

beautiful boat next door to it

[@GeorgeGraves]

That two coils of webbing might be jacklines?

[@SailingTalisman]

No, it turned out to be safety straps for when the dinghy is on the davits. Old webbing was rotted and failing.

[@dripslobber]

What was the weak link you saw on the mast?

[@SailingTalisman]

The mast boot. Sorry for mumbling. I still feel self conscious talking out loud to the camera when others are around. To replace a mast boot on a fully rigged boat means unstepping the mast, so often the mast boots are in bad shape after a lot of years.

[@NLJ1953]

What everybody wants to know. How much did you buy it for?

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Neill. It was 2017 and we had agreed to $210,000+/-, but the seller wanted to be paid in pounds sterling, which we said yes to. But then Donald Trump won the 2016 election in the US and the currency traders had not factored that in. Republicans were seen as more fiscally responsible, and the dollar took off against the pound. So the exchange rate actually favored us and made the purchase price less in pounds.

[@tyroneshulace3203]

@@SailingTalisman That would then mean $210k would buy more GBP's. Don't you mean the # pounds remained the same but the # Usd was less? I watch these "style" of videos to learn something new re. buying a boat. I was wondering @ the end when the inspection was going to start. Like turning on everything electrical, testing seacocks if the valves turn. Checking to see if the seacocks close. There is approx 23 thru hulls on that model. IMPORTANT especially if you are going to use a Surveyor. When you can tell a Surveyor. "That in my cursory/random look. I noticed these #? electrics were out, 3 winches were tight, 3 seacocks were tight/binding & 2 didn't close. The deck top sounded soft near the windlass Etc etc." BUT DON'T tell the surveyor everything you found!! Interesting to see if he finds the "extra-missing" deficiencies. NOW you can negotiate with him, too... If all the original electronics turns on & works. You can't use that to slag the price down. In otherwords you cannot expect the seller to upgrade for you. UNLESS. There is another EXACT boat, model for model, year, (lesser) price etc comparison that would favour your request. In doing so you risk the buy. Even if they are motivated or hungry. Some sellers will tell you to go pound salt. Now that boat is/would be potentially unavailable.

[@TheShorterboy]

next time you fly coach if ti's a jumbo get the rear right had side last 4 rows, they have less seats and you get a gap between you and the wall you can fill with pillows

[@SailingTalisman]

Good to know. Wendy and I always look to try to get aisle seats across from each other. We have enough miles to get our choice most of the time.

[@lavagnolli]

awesome video!!!

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks for watching.

[@svgitana2499]

I love oysters how much are they wanting?

[@SailingTalisman]

Sales price in GBP, but approx $240k.

[@svgitana2499]

Sailing at 9000 that's it?? 😱 I haven't looked at the video but is it worth it?

[@SailingTalisman]

Yeah, it's a matter of the USD killing it against the GBP, which is why we'd even consider a boat so far away.

[@billfournier1043]

Thanks for the update.

[@SailingTalisman]

You bet.

[@thatdutchguy2882]

Good luck man, hope you get the best deal on her, but remember to be ready to just walk away from her aswell, still, good luck 👍.

[@SailingTalisman]

We almost did, a few times. But it's a great boat.

[@venuspromos3171]

ohhhhh i just found this blog .. i think i seen yall before on soSAILize . Keep up the good work :)

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks much.

[@stephenwebb9167]

What month were you there?

[@SailingTalisman]

Early March, 2017.

[@seaqwst]

please please, who does the into music???

[@SailingTalisman]

It's on the KZbin free music library. Let me look around and I'll get back to you.

[@justinsteele5822]

How do you not know what the shapes are 😬🤔

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Justin. I am busted on this one. The answer is that I'd never seen them before. I would call it lack of knowledge on my part.

[@BPratto]

that looks to my untrained eye, to be a well cared for boat. Fancy too ; -)

[@SailingTalisman]

It's a fine bluewater cruiser, and I'd say more unused than well cared for. However, the important things like engine and generator care were done well.

[@frowertrampton7148]

Never seen a tunnel thruster before on a boat. That's called steering for sure.

[@SailingTalisman]

Boats like the Oyster 485 and others like Hylas, Hallberg Rassy, Tayana, etc have what's known as skeg hung rudders and these do not perform well in reverse. These styles of rudder are incredibly strong though, so a tradeoff of performance vs strength. Having a bow thruster of some sort is almost mandatory with a boat in excess of 45 feet. Some bow thrusters are retractable while others are tunnel versions. The tunnel thrusters are simple with fewer moving parts while the retractable versions are more slippery through the water and typically less powerful.

[@SerbanOprescu]

You seem to know what you are doing. Nice review.

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks Serban. We've never regretted the purchase.

[@hunsadersrockinranch]

Great Vid. Thanks for sharing. New Sub!

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks much.

[@SailingTalisman]

Glad you liked it. New video soon, we hope.

[@superformOG]

@32.00 ouch... Oyster went into bankruptcy, i believe the investors pulled out, but you are right there book orders were the highest ever when they pulled the chute.

[@SailingTalisman]

Yeah, I believe the previous investors way overpaid for the company and I suspect they were realizing that they could never make it work. As expected, Oyster was snatched up and is now reopened for business under software/online gambling entrepreneur Richard Hadida who has brought along some great business talent. We got a very nice email from him introducing himself and I think things are going to work out fine going forward. They've rehired as many of the previous staff as they could (the ones who were willing and able to come back).

[@sucapizda]

I know nothing about this, but why not a Amel 55? I thought Amel's are the best blue water yachts?

[@SailingTalisman]

Two reasons. We really didn't want a ketch rigged boat, with the extra sails and rigging/equipment. Also, we had decided on a max size of 50' LOA. For sloop rigged boats, above 50' is where sail area becomes difficult to handle in heavier conditions by two people. Most cruising couples stick with 40-50 feet. Admittedly, when you go to a ketch, you're dealing with 3 medium sized sails instead of 2 larger ones. It's a personal choice. The Amels represent a fantastic value on the used market. They're turnkey worldwide cruisers.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

I run away from any boat having a teak deck. Teak decks seem to mean wet deck cores!

[@SailingTalisman]

Yeah, we thought long and hard about it. Higher end boats of this era all have them, so not easy to get around. Oyster used 1/4 sawn teak vacuum glued w very few screws. The screws and bungs are what usually force owners to replace, but it is what it is.

[@pangrac1]

Informative.

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks.

[@THECARKUS]

Now THAT is a chainplate.

[@SailingTalisman]

Indeed. And totally hidden on the outside.

[@timothythomas1626]

Maybe order survey before going to see ?

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Timothy. Possibly, but only if you were going to buy a boat sight-unseen, which I would highly recommend against. Otherwise, you're just looking to see yes/no on the boat as it shows. Given that a full marine survey costs north of $1,000, it would be prohibitive during the screening phase (we visited 6-7 boats before settling on Talisman). Plus a survey takes time to schedule and perform, so you'd have to have a mechanism for removing the boat from the market while you had the survey done, lest it be sold out from under you.

[@joeldelamirande5792]

Nice boat

[@SailingTalisman]

Thanks Joel. She's been great.

[@Jakfilm]

What a boat.

[@SailingTalisman]

We liked it a lot.

[@MonoTodd]

Yeah they've only been cribbing boats and ships in those regions of the world for at the very least 500 years so my guess is that not only do they know what they are doing but they have been doing it since long before metal jack stands ever existed !!!

[@SailingTalisman]

They do know what they're doing, but that system totally sketched me out. The logs had been exposed to the weather for over 7 years and were splitting vertically at the tops. Plus there was a single galvanized spike at each connection and you could see where the penetrations points were elongating from flex. The discussion we had was hilarious. It started out with the position from the broker and yard employee that the system was totally safe, and then moved on to stories of boats falling over in various local yards over the last several years. These were all "remember when" type anecdotes. The yard now has enough metal jackstands to do all the boats, but it wasn't always that way.

[@SuperDave-vj9en]

Higher a reputable, insured, boat survey company. It could pay off in dividends!

[@SailingTalisman]

We did. We used Jim McIlraith, a Scottish marine surveyor who came highly recommended. His survey was spot on, balancing perfect vs good fairly well. His writeup was very comprehensive, giving us good advice on what needed work while also providing the insurance company with what they needed to insure the boat with confidence.

[@JelmerAchterkamp]

Look also at a Contest 48cs with a similar layout: www.yachtworld.com/boats/1998/Contest-48CS-3022050/Lymington/United-Kingdom#.WV1j2tOLQUE

[@SailingTalisman]

Contest is a nice boat. We did end up going with the Oyster as it's a better known brand in the States, but I did look often at Contest. Their newer boats are really something.

[@surfshanti1724]

Hi mate.I am looking at an oyster 54 at the moment or a far 50 deck saloon. If we could chat a little would be great. i,ll wait to recieve a reply

[@SailingTalisman]

Look us up on the "about" tab and send me an email. Will be happy to discuss.

[@THECARKUS]

How exciting. I am very pleased that you have found such a great yacht. Ironically most of my fave boats are American. Passports and I'm also a fan of Island Packets though I know i am in a minority there.I have done Biscay twice in both directions. My experience is that the Portuguese Atlantic Coast tends to give more weather than the bay itself... You will be going south which is by far the best direction for the prevailing winds. Anyhow, with that boat you will breeze it! Happy sailing and thank you for sharing your search. I found it very informative and helpful. Mark.

[@jeffwhite9001]

Can't go wrong with an Oyster

[@SailingTalisman]

We've become such fans of the Oyster brand and team. They company is awesome and the boats are top notch quality. Talisman is everything we ever hoped she'd be.

[@805gregg]

Stay away from teak decks, in the end they all leak and rot the deck core, expensive to repair

[@SailingTalisman]

As I've said to other, it's not an option with this era of boat. They all have them, except for a few Hylas'. Given this, we were really looking for a vacuum bagged application (as opposed to screws).

[@wingingittracy8508]

Teak decks make me nerves, hundreds of screws that will leak sooner or later .

[@SailingTalisman]

These are vacuum bagged, so no screws.

[@wingingittracy8508]

I am surprised ,and I am glad you found one not screwed down, I have heard of Oysters newer than this that had screws . www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f47/non-screwed-teak-decks-88814.html

[@roniepc1]

Nice!!!!

[@rodrigowoodstock]

How money much this Sail???

[@SailingTalisman]

You can see current pricing, more or less, by searching Yachtworld.com Key in Oyster 485 as your search.

[@deeclination]

Why did he not know what proper “ JACKLINES “ look like ?

[@SailingTalisman]

Because they were rolled up like any other roll of dyneema webbing and the broker told us it wasn't jacklines, and that we'd have to buy our own. Just a miscommunication.

[@iamnotpaulavery]

I'd go on to something else. That boat looks just ok but nothing to write home about, but that's just me.

[@SailingTalisman]

That's Oyster 485/08 Talisman, and the only reason we were able to get her at an affordable price was that she was a true diamond in the rough (and 1994 vintage). A new Oyster 495 will set you back $1.5 - $2M.

[@iamnotpaulavery]

@@SailingTalisman I know, I was looking at online ads...Yikes! I might settle for a nice Hans Christian trawler I found. Are Oysters built as well as, for example, a Hallberg-Rassy, or Amel? I saw a couple of those and was very impressed with the workmanship, but their prices were a bit steep as well, considering they're used.

[@SailingTalisman]

@@iamnotpaulavery Yes, Oysters are true luxury bluewater boats. As for which is best from the brands you mention, owners of each will argue that theirs is the best. But the prices correspond more or less to their desirability. Swan, Oyster, HR, and Amel are all semi-custom, as opposed to production boats, and each places an outsized emphasis on oceangoing capabilities. This means more fiberglass and burlier hardware and systems. That obviously comes at a cost, so no longer a price-point boat.

[@iamnotpaulavery]

@@SailingTalisman Gotcha!👍

[@mrgood56]

a lot of huffing and puffing :D

[@SailingTalisman]

The mics pick up more than you want sometimes.

[@cjprimata]

May be the keel fail!!! Not nice lost the confidence on all of them!

[@SailingTalisman]

Sorry, not sure what you're referring to.

[@cjprimata]

Lol really? Try an Amel or a Swan.

[@jazldazl9193]

May be your nose will fall off?

[@PaulAnthonyDuttonUk]

Yet it is so constrained on top.. The cockpit looks rather cramped and not very safe in truth.

[@SailingTalisman]

It's safe, and high off the water. Not as big as an aft cockpit. A tradeoff, like everything in boats.

[@PaulAnthonyDuttonUk]

But why would you wana trade off what would be in effect the main living space? Nice boat sure, but you are buying an experience machine after all and the cockpit is where they are made. Look at the 485 on google with people in ON it.. Your missus is gonna get pissed off and so are you with such cramped conditions up top. For the same money you can buy something a lot more experience enhancing. A used Jeanneau 50 is not so far far removed from what you want yet has a decent cockpit, and a full rear berth and half the price... Think Think Think...

[@SailingTalisman]

Yeah, I know, but there's plenty of space for 6-8 people and you can sit on top of the coamings and on the aft deck. I see what you're saying but it's more a matter of the type of boat you're looking at. These are bluewater machines, not lightweight coastal cruisers. There's no doubt that the big production manufacturers have perfected the entertainment platform approach. You lose the aft stateroom with those designs though, and the Oyster has a huge main salon and sleeping quarters. We think net/net it's a superior design and we're happy with it. Others might choose something else. Thanks for watching.

[@PaulAnthonyDuttonUk]

Fella, I am your guardian angel sent to get your brain cells aligned before you commit. My Grandfather had a blue water machine 3000 tons about and it did not stop him and his crew sinking. That Oyster is useless up top. Your wife will be throwing you overboard in a week into your passage for sake of a want for space.. I have sailed many like it and you will hate it... Anyway. Won't badger you anymore.. Have fun but I would suggest you try and find similar and spend some time on the water tripping over each other before you make such a large capital purchase. The notion of blue is far more than heavy displacement. There are many boats that will get you round the world several times over in comfort that have a far better cockpit arrangement and provide for a decent rear cabin but your rear cabin should not be your priority sub 50 foot. There is not enough space for 2 people let alone 6... try it. At the price of that Oyster you might be able to pick up something like a Gozzard 41 or rear cockpit passport with fantastic rear cabin with some hagling.. Both bigger boats in many ways and something which you will enjoy... Example. www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/2003/Passport-470-Aft-Cockpit-3045206/United-States

[@SailingTalisman]

I'm sorry to hear about your Grandfather. We've sailed this boat and others like it and know what to expect. It's not really like you say. The bigger the boats, the more they go to this design, and they've been making this general design right up to today. As for space and layout, there's no substitute for actually seeing and walking around a boat. As you can see from our boat shopping series we've actually traveled to visit and (mostly walk) the boats we've looked at (readers should know you don't generally get to sail a boat just because a broker is showing it.) Of course, these are just a sampling of the boats we've either been invited to tour or have chartered. This has been a decade-plus long search the has seen us on fast production boats and burlier bluewater specific boats and we feel we've covered the ground as well as we can. I suppose the question becomes, what would you feel is a better choice?

[@schirmeyerb]

the life is short...profite with this boat...for probably the Last travel of your life ..it seem to me an excelent quality boat

[@THECARKUS]

Welcome to the UK! If you find your way down to the south west give me a shout!

[@SailingTalisman]

We will if we can. We'll be in a hurry to catch a weather window across the Bay of Biscay. Leaving early to mid August assuming electrical refit goes as planned.

[@cjprimata]

Sorry mate I was just on the mood to lash out on some body

[@ultrarekt5114]

Difficult to listen to you, you are so short breathed. Maybe a health check? Love the boat and Oysters in general!

[@SailingTalisman]

Sorry about that. I'm in pretty good health for an old guy, but I'm also not the best narrator. I tend to run around and get myself all worked up, then try to talk to a camera.

[@paullewin8615]

I'll offer 20 Quid😂

[@SailingTalisman]

Hi Paul. Send me 250 and I'll send you back your change ;-)

[@cjprimata]

Not really good company, went bankrupt for poor customer service and bad Construction!

[@SailingTalisman]

Untrue. There was one recent model of boat (825) that was constructed using a new resin infusion technique that while proven, was poorly executed. This error was found in 4 of the 5 hulls that were produced or were under construction. Had the hulls been constructed as designed they would have been hugely overbuilt, as Oysters are known for. As for the rest of the Oyster boats constructed over 40 years, none have suffered any kind of structural failure. Oysters, like Hallberg Rassy, Swan, Discovery, Tayana, Hylas, Contest, etc., have always been produced to the highest standards as a premium brand dedicated to bluewater offshore capabilities. It's not even close when compared to what you see in the charter fleets. Recent Oyster management (new investors who bought the company) are at the root of the company's recent demise, but I predict a resurrection of the brand soon. The deadline for bids was last week. See www.oysterstory.info for the 825 owner's side of what happened.

[@cjprimata]

We all know the brand, and what it is but they try to screw a sailor trust screw them instead time to destroy the brand so other do try to do the same like on so many other industries! Some people are blind by loyalty screw that! The best is all ways the best!

[@davidarmstrong3634]

T

[@Overnity]

forget that get a Cat

[@SailingTalisman]

Well to each their own, but Wendy and I grew up as monohull sailors and can't imagine ever owning a cat. Plus, it's double the price in the marinas.

[@cjprimata]

By the way , your rudder explanation was not wrong but a comparing it was pointless just show that your views are some what out of place! From than on you wold better start again from the beginning, look like you read a lot and not really done much sailing! I’m not even going on navigation points you are totally lost! You will need some serious re learn every thing. Sorry to tell you that! Money don’t buy competence.

[@cjprimata]

Totally out of your death but good luck hope you don’t give it up! I have seen quite a few so call sea dogs!

[@jasoncarson369]

If you're going to be an asshole to people then learn how to spell so you don't look stupid while you're doing so. Btw you're a douche bag 🖕

[@MrHellfinger]

His explanation of the skeg type rudder versus the the non-skeg type was insightful to me having not seen the differences explained before. Not pointless to explain this at all.

[@jacksail5331]

Celso will say a prayer for you, I always pray for a shit head. God Bless🍀😇🍀

[@cjprimata]

Kkkk